Messages From the President

Terri Grates Day, PhD

November 11, 2025

Honoring Veterans Day: Service, Strength, and Shared Purpose

As Veterans Day approaches, I invite Herkimer County Community College students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members to pause and honor those who have served in our nation’s armed forces. Their courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to protecting our freedoms exemplify the highest ideals of service and citizenship.

This day carries special meaning for me personally. I come from a proud military family and was a military spouse for 15 years. I have seen firsthand the strength, resilience, and quiet sacrifice that define those who serve, and the families who stand beside them. Many have served with honor, and some made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. We honor them all with gratitude for words that can scarcely be expressed.

Here in Herkimer County, we are fortunate to live among veterans who continue to serve our communities in countless ways. They are our neighbors, colleagues, classmates, and friends. They are individuals whose leadership and example strengthen the very fabric of this region.

At Herkimer County Community College, we are deeply proud to support those who have served, those who are currently serving, and the families who share in their journey of service. We remain committed to helping veterans and their families achieve their educational and career goals. Their experiences enrich our classrooms and remind us daily of the power of purpose, perseverance, and unity.

As we reflect on this day, may we also renew our commitment to one another. Just as our veterans have served with honor, let us each find ways to serve our community by lifting others, creating opportunity, and building a future that is, as this year’s College theme reminds us, Meaningful by Design: A Year of Possibilities.

To all who have served, and to the families who have stood beside them, we extend our deepest respect and appreciation. Your service inspires us, your strength grounds us, and your example continues to guide us forward.

Herkimer Proud,

Terri Grates Day, PhD
President
Herkimer County Community College

September 2, 2025

Meaningful by Design: A Year of Possibilities

As we begin the 2025–26 academic year, I want to share my gratitude and excitement with the entire Herkimer County Community College community.

For me, becoming president of Herkimer County Community College is more than a professional milestone. It’s a homecoming. It is a return to my roots. And it is a deeply personal commitment to people and places who shaped me.

I know the strength, resilience, and pride of this community. I also know the important role this College plays in shaping futures, building careers, and fueling the vitality of Herkimer County.

That’s why I believe so strongly in our potential. Herkimer County Community College is not just a place where students take classes. We are a community anchor, a workforce partner, and a launching pad for dreams. We prepare students to learn locally and impact globally.

Looking Ahead

As I step into this role, I do so with a clear purpose: to position Herkimer as a driving force for educational access, economic revitalization, and regional pride.

Our vision is clear, to be a community college that not only responds to change, but drives it. Our goal is to become the most trusted, impactful, and forward-moving community college in New York State.

To get there, we will:

Strengthen connections across campus and with the wider community.
Align our programs with local workforce needs so graduates are ready for the jobs of today and tomorrow.
Build deeper partnerships with employers, local governments, and organizations to drive regional growth.
Support student success by ensuring our programs and pathways lead to strong transfer opportunities and rewarding careers.
Showcase the value of Herkimer College so that more people understand the life-changing opportunities right here at home.

Together, We Can

The challenges facing higher education are real: enrollment declines, budget pressures, and shifting demographics. But I believe in our collective ability to not only weather these challenges, but to emerge stronger. Our success will depend on creativity, collaboration, and a shared commitment to students and to our region.

That’s why the theme this year is Meaningful by Design: A Year of Possibilities. It reminds us that progress doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when we design it with intention, care, and purpose. Meaningful by Design calls us to push beyond our boundaries and move beyond the status quo.

An Invitation

I invite each of you to join us in this work. Support our students, attend our events, partner with us, and help us showcase all that Herkimer County has to offer. When the College and community come together, we all thrive.

I believe in this College. I believe in this community. And I believe in the possibilities ahead of us.